Lillian woke up to Zane’s crying and she was so hoping Ryan would get up and say he would do it but he just groaned and moved the pillowed over his ears, going back to sleep. It was her night though to take care of Zane so she forced her sleepy body off the bed and slipped her feet into her slipper before going over to Zane’s bed and picked him up.

She bounced him as she walked out of the room and rubbed her eyes before going downstairs. She grabbed an already made bottle from the fridge and stuck his bottle in the microwave for thirty seconds. She tried her best to shush him while the milk was heating up.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed,  feeling like she wanted to cry. She was just exhausted. When his bottle finished heating up a little, she put the top back on and cradled him, and he hungrily sucked on the bottle. She held the end of the bottle since he was learning how to hold the bottle himself.

She made her way up the stairs and grabbed a bib, putting it on him as he sucked on the bottle. She sat on the bed and slowly rocked him. When he was half way done, she took it out and burped him, and he fussed since he was a greedy baby. After a few burps, she put it back in his mouth and he began to sleep as he sucked on the bottle.

By the time the bottle was empty, he was still suck on the bottle but he was pretty much asleep. She batted his back a few times before placing him in the crib, covering him up to keep him warm.

She dragged her dead feeling body back into bed and quickly fell back to sleep.

~

She wasn’t sure how many time she re-read over the same paragraph in her Bio text book. Ten times? Fifteen? She just kept on day dreaming though or actually fell asleep. It wasn’t until class ended again when she closed the damn torture book.

Just like yesterday, Mr Deck stopped her and to her surprise her eyebrows came together when the new kid Duncan came over to the desk beside her. She actually kind of hated him, which made her hate herself since she had no reason to hate him. He was a smart guy….a really smart guy. That’s why she hated him. All the teachers love him, they praised him for being smart and a responsible young man, and he is also a handsome and popular guy.

She used to be just like him last year, except of course the popular part but the respectable smart girl. But now she was the hopeless turn-in-late-homework and hates school with a baby kind of girl.

“Duncan, Lillian, I’m sure you to know each other,” Mr. Deck said.

She looked up at Duncan, expecting him to look confused as she was but he just shrugged, “I’ve seen her around.”

“Earlier today Lillian, I’ve asked Duncan to become your study partner and to tutor you,” he said.

Lillian’s eyes widened and she took in a sharp breath, no way trying to hide her shock. She didn’t understand Mr. Deck right now. Yesterday he didn’t mention or suggest that she should get a tutor! She doesn’t need a tutor! She can do and study her own work without any help.

“I don’t need a tutor, Mr. Deck,” she told him.

“Lillian, you’ve gotten F’s on the last few tests you’ve taken,” he said.

“I know, but we talked about that yesterday,” she said. “I’ll study and re-take them.”

“Which is where I think Duncan can come along,” he said. “Lillian, you’ve fallen asleep two times today. I thought about it last night and think after school until the end of the marking period, you two should study together after school everyday.”

“I have a baby at home, I can’t take him there.” Lillian said.

“I know, which is why I think the school library is a good idea,” he said. “I’m sure Ryan could take care of the boy for an hour. All your teachers agree this is what best for you, so you’ll be able to pass this year. You should be in a place with no distraction.”

“I have no problem doing this,” Duncan said, looking down at Lillian. “This could go on my college apps, so you would also be doing me a favor.”

She couldn’t help but scoff up at him, but then she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. She thought about it for a moment, realizing she did need help but she couldn’t help but feel effected by the thought of needing a tutor. She has never needed anyone’s help to study before.  It was always her who helped people study. She felt so dumb and stupid now.

But she knew that grades were important and no matter what, she didn’t want this year to be any different where she made the honor roll at the end of the year. She didn’t want this year where she would get a D or an F. And Ryan could look after Zane while she’s at the library, he wouldn’t object to that. And the library was a good place to study, it was quiet and she could focus with someone telling her to pay attention right next to her.

She sighed and nodded, “Okay, maybe you're right.”

He smiled, “Great, I think this is good for you Lillian. I want to see you in the year book just like last year for honor rolls next to Duncan.”

She just gave him a stiff smile, remembering last year’s picture in the year book. Since it was from the waist up, she was six months pregnant in it and the guy next to her was standing awkwardly next to her.

“You two may go now to talk about your schedules,” he said.

Lillian turned around numbly and walked out of the classroom with Duncan next to her since she remembered he was in her next class. As they walked down the hall, they were silent at first until he spoke, “So, you have a baby? A boy.”

“Yeah.” she said.

“What’s his name?” he asked.

“Zane.”

“Oh, that’s an interesting name,” he said. “Not very common. Unique.”

“My boyfriend Ryan picked it out and it kind of grew on me pretty much.” she shrugged.

As they walked into class, he sat beside her and she was kind of surprised since he has friends he usually sits next to. She gave him a confused look and he shrugged, “We do have to talk about the tutoring.”

“Oh,” she said. “Okay well, I’ll have to talk to my boyfriend at lunch and we could meet up at the library after school since it doesn’t close until five and that’s around the time Ryan has to leave for work.”

“Perfect,” he said.

When they had nothing else to say, Lillian pursed her lips for a moment in the awkwardness so she decided to make small talk, “So, where’d you moved from?"

“I moved from California but my step-dad’s job made us move to Ohio,” he said.

“Oh, you must miss it there,” she said. “Why would anyone want to leave the nice warm sun to the cold winters?”

He chuckled, “I don’t mind, I wasn’t much of a star there than I am here. Seems like you guys must not get a lot of new kids.”

She shrugged, “Or talk about stuff. You're news here now but last year I was the talk of the town.” she frowned. “I’m sure you’ve heard of the story.”

He smiled, “I don’t listen to rumors unless it comes from the person being gossiped about.” he said. “I come from California, I know it’s best not to believe everything from someone. And you look to much of a nice girl to get into a fight with Jeanette Mitchells.”

They both chuckled and Lillian was kind of surprised, since she hasn’t had a good laugh in a while. She was mostly ever tired now. But just remembering the stupid rumor about her getting into a fist fight with Jeanette was never true.

“Well it’s nice to have someone here that’s like that." she said, pausing for a moment. “And…and not judging me for being a teen mom.”

“My mom was a teen mom, so I know not to ever make fun of one." he said.

“Really?” she asked.

“Yeah, so I know you didn’t ruin your life,” he said. “My mom made it through with me and she’s happy.”

She smiled at him, feeling so encouraged again about her status as a teen mom. She was actually starting to believe she was going to fail at being a mom like how many were saying and wouldn’t be able to do it.

She couldn’t believe she actually hated Duncan, realizing he was actually a pretty awesome guy. Maybe she shouldn’t have judged him without actually knowing him.

~

After a hard studying with Duncan at the library which felt like torture as it did at school, Ryan was waiting outside in the car for her. She turned to Duncan, “Well, thanks again for the help. Tomorrow I’ll do better.”

“And take more notes.” he said. “You of all people should know taking notes help.” he said, chuckling and she couldn’t help but join him.

“Well, bye,” she said before turning around and made her way over to Ryan’s car.

“What? No sigh or unhappy look?” Ryan jokingly said and she gave him a ‘shut up’ look and punched his arm. She then leaned over and pecked him.

“So how was Zane?” she asked as he drove away from the school.

“Good.” he said. “Missed his mommy though.”

“And how do you know that? He couldn’t have said it." she said.

“Oh, I know what my son feels." he said.

She chuckled, “Oh do you? So you know without him actually saying he misses me?”

“Yup.” he said, grinning.

“Oh, then you should know when he needs his diaper change and you can be quick at doing it.” she said.

“Oh, I don’t need him telling me that. I can smell it from a mile,” he said and they chuckled together.

“He is his father child though.” she said.

When Lillian got home, she was in a happier mood and she picked Zane up from the bassinet, pecked his forehead and bounced him in the air a few times, making him smile and giggle. She sat on the couch and played with him.

While she was playing with him, her phone went off and she saw it was a text from Tamara’s number. She read it, asking if she could come over. She called Meredith up who was with a friend and asked if Tamara could come over. After getting her approval, she texted Tamara back saying yes she could come over.

Ten minutes later Tamara showed up with Juliana. They placed their babies on the floor to play with each other with some toys but Julianna just got up and walked around, falling a few times here and there.

“I can’t figure out what to do when her birthday comes next month,” she said, sighing. “I don’t want to do that whole princess theme thing, it’s too used up.”

“Is Kale going to be there?” Lillian asked.

She smiled excitedly and nodded, “Yeah and I heard from a family member that other day that Kale has a big surprise for me. I think he’s going to propose because he was dropping some very good hints.”

Lillian smiled at her, “Really? That’s so exciting.”

“I know,” she said. “I never thought I would have a family, not one as perfect as I do. It’ll be so perfect if he does.”

“Yeah, it would. You guys are very lucky.” Lillian said.

“And you’ll be next!” Tamara said. “Ryan will propose and you two can get married next year when you turn eighteen.”

Lillian chuckled and shrugged, “Married? I don’t know.”

“You never thought about it?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Of course I have,” she said. “But—but I don’t know, just never so soon. I never really picture myself married until I was like, I don’t know, near thirty.”

“And I’m sure you never planned being pregnant at sixteen but crazier things have happened,” she said.

Lillian chuckled, “I don’t know, I don’t think Ryan have even ever thought about it.”

“What if he did propose one day though?” she asked.

Lillian sat there a moment, thinking about that. She wonder what if Ryan did propose one day, she wonders what she would say. She thought people who got married after high school would be stupid and it would only end in divorce after a year or two.

Lillian looked at Zane on the floor who was trying to crawl around and she shrugged, “I don’t know what I would say, honestly.”